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4-Post durability test simulations using a nonlinear FEA model have been executed by engineers responsible for structural durability performance and validation. An integrated Body and Chassis, full FEA model has been used. All components of the test load input were screened and only the most damaging events were incorporated in the simulation. These events included the Potholes, Belgian Block Tracks, Chatter Bump Stops, Twist Ditches, and Driveway Ramps. The CAE technology Virtual Proving Ground (eta/VPG®*) was used to model the full system and the 4-Post test fixtures. The nonlinear dynamic FE solver LS-DYNA** was used in this analysis. The fatigue damage of each selected event was calculated separately and then added together according to the test schedule. Due to the lack of stress/strain information from hardware test, only the analyzed fatigue damage results of the baseline model were scaled to correlate with physical test data.

A tire model and its interface performance with road surface plays a major role in vehicle dynamics analysis and full vehicle real time proving ground simulations. The successful tire model must be able to support the vehicle weight, provide vehicle control and stability, transfer various forces and torques from road/tire interaction to a vehicle chassis/ suspension system. The dynamic effects in terms of tire stiffness and internal damping characteristics in impact loading conditions must also be accounted for in the model. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tire model is established and its performance is validated using LS/DYNA3D* analysis code simulating the radial and lateral static stiffness test conditions, the one-meter dynamic free-drop test condition and the rolling cornering stiffness. The analysis results are compared with available test data and a generic empirical formula.

A new strategy for dynamic nonlinear analysis of a gear system in real time has been developed. The approach utilizes an explicit finite element analysis code such as LS/DYNA3D* to analyze a gear train system. The analysis results are used to establish design variables such as tooth deflection, load sharing, stress variation and material behavior. This approach will provide a precise analytical solution for any type of gear system. The results of this methodology enable engineers to obtain more accurate information (contact forces, gear stresses, load sharing, and tooth deflection) of gear behavior. The gear stress results can be animated in real time, thereby enabling the engineer to examine the actual behavior of the gear system visually. The analytical results were compared with actual experimental results from five sets of parallel helical transmission gears.